Probe initiated against outgoing Mymensingh DC

The cabinet division on Wednesday initiated a probe into allegations of irregularities against outgoing deputy commissioner of Mymensingh Mustakim Billah Faruqui following media reports about several dozen colorful farewells accorded to him in recent times.
Divisional commissioner of Mymensingh GM Saleh Uddin has been asked to investigate the allegations
against the immediate-past deputy commissioner of Mymensingh, who was transferred to the civil aviation and tourism ministry as deputy secretary on August 28, a senior official at the cabinet division confirmed.
The move came a day after the public administration ministry requested the cabinet division for an inquiry against Mustakim.
‘We have initiated the probe against the immediate-past deputy commissioner of Mymensingh following the public ministration ministry’s request. Media reports on farewells accorded to him have also been taken into account,’ cabinet division’s additional secretary Md Muksodur Rahman Patwary told New Age.
He said the Mymensigh divisional commissioner was expected to submit the report in a month.
Muksodur, responsible for district and field administration wing, said, actions would be taken if he was found to have violated any service rules. ‘We have received allegations of various irregularities. Nothing is clear until we get the probe report,’ he mentioned.
As an outgoing DC, Mustakim Billah was given at least 35 lavish farewells and he allegedly received different gifts from the organisers of the farewells.
Quoting the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules of 1979, a senior official at the public administration said that a public servant could not accept such ‘royal’ receptions or any gifts from anyone.
Colleagues could organise farewell programmes indoor without any extravaganzas, said a senior official.
Mustakim’s farewell programmes spanned over 15 days — from September 3 to September 18 — and were hosted by the upazila administration, professional bodies and different socio-cultural organisations.
In one such event the DC along with his wife were seen wearing royal dresses and crowns. Mustakim, who worked as DC for three years, also rode a horse cart in the district headquarters drawing the attention of the media, said locals.
‘This is unbecoming of a civil servant,’ said the public administration ministry official.
Meanwhile, Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Iqbal Mahmood has reportedly instructed the graft watchdog’s director general (legal) to send a letter to the public administration ministry asking it to conduct departmental proceedings against the outgoing deputy commissioner of Mymensingh as he joined 35 ‘royal farewells’ and received gifts recently.